The grieving and the desperate scramble to determine whether the attacker was acting alone or whether he had help, today, tuesday, may 23rd, 2017. From nbc news, this is a special edition of today, terror in manchester, with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. Live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, everybody. Welcome to today on a Tuesday Morning. We begin with this terror in england. I cant imagine theres anyone in this country that cant visualize that scene. Young people at a concert with that exhilaration coming out. Separated from their parents and reconnecting with their parents. British Prime Minister theresa may asked the people of Great Britain to show the fortitude theyve shown in the past. Lets start by telling you what we do know. Overnight, officials increased the death toll to 22 people, noting that children are among the victims. 59 others were injured. Manchester Police Believe it was one man who carried out this attack, using an improvised explosive device, a suicide bomb. Theyre working to determine if he had accomplices. Speaking from israel, President Trump denounced the attack, calling it the work of, quote, evil losers. Were hearing from Ariana Grande hours after her concert. She tweeted the bombing has left her broken and so, so sorry. Lets begin with chief correspondent Richard Engel, at the manchester arena. Good morning to you. Reporter good morning, savannah. This is the arena where the attack took place. Around the world, Ariana Grande attracting a very young audience. That was certainly the case here. Many in attendance were teenagers, preteens, and their parents. This was very much an attack on children. Isis claimed responsibility but did not offer specific proof that it was directly involved. It may have been claiming credit. One person has been arrested, and a u. S. Official identified the attacker as a 22yearold from not far from here. In the arena moments after the bomb exploded outside, the horrifying sound of fans, nearly all young girls screaming in terror the concert was clearing out when the bomb went off. It targeted people as they were leaving to meet their rides home. In many cases, parents picking up their kids. We now know a single terrorist detonated his improvised explosive device near one of the exits of the venue, deliberately choosing the time and place to cause maximum carnage and to kill and injure indiscriminately. A big flash. A flash. And then, a whoosh of air. Just thought, what the hells that . A stomach wound, a leg wound, we think broken a femur. Well know when she gets to hospital. Reporter their daughter was inside trying to get out, but a stampede erupted. The lights came up after the concert and there was a big bang. And all of everyone started running, people screaming and crying. And we tried to look for the first exit point. Reporter the artist, Ariana Grande, was not hurt. But in a tweet, she said shes, quote, broken, from the bottom of my heart. Im so, so sorry. I dont have words. Shock among the concertgoers, too. Many spent the night in hotels or apartments, many offered by locals for free. Hannah and evie havent slept or changed, still carrying the bunny ears that many of the fans wore when the explosion happened. It was really loud. And it went silent. Was it like a stampede . People were falling . Yes. People were moving. You jumped off of the balcony to a lower level. Yeah. It was so steep. We didnt stand up during the show. It was really, really scary. Reporter police determined that a lone male suicide attacker detonated an improvised bomb. Theyve been in contact with their families. But Charlotte Campbell is still awaiting word about her 15yearold daughter. Im heartbroken at the moment because i dont know where she is. I dont know if shes alive even yet. Reporter the witness accounts weve been hearing paint a very grim picture of girls stumbling down staircases as they tried to escape, with children screaming, i lost my mommy. There are reports that the British Security services believe they have identified that suicide bomber. They are not, however, releasing his identity as the investigation is ongoing. Theyre trying to determine whether he had help. Back to you. Richard engle, outside the manchester arena. Thank you. As you saw and as richard mentioned, the bombing set off chaos. Zach was there with some friends, managed to get out friends. Uninjured. Zach, good morning to you. Hi. Managed to get out uninjured. Zach, good morning to you. Hi. I was reading that you and some friends were actually considering leaving that concert before the encore song and instead someone convin and someone convinced you to stay, which put you inside the stay, which put you inside the arena when that happened. Is that right . Yeah. Arena when that happened. Is that right . We were stood there. We knew she would have an e yeah. Ncore well, we were stood there, w. So knew she would have an encore g le song. We were the ones that stopped certain people were trying to n. Shes going to do another song. Leave. Theres going to be an we stopped them and said, you should wait. Encore. It was scary because if we hadnt told them that, they shes going to do another song. We dont know what would have ha it will be an encore. Ppened. We were plann if we didnt tell them that, in. We didnt flow if we were going they could have left. To stay. A lot of people were leaving early. They didnt know whether it wa and things could have taken a s the encore was on. It happened straight after her final song. Turn for the worse. No one knew where anyone was at that moment. We were planning on leaving. A lot of people were leaving early because they didnt know if it was an encore or not. And it happened after the final song. What did you hear . What d no one knew at that moment. Id y . What did you hear . It was must have been ten what did you see . Seconds after she left, after the l it must have been like ten i this huge bang. It sounded like a gun seconds after she left, after the lights came up. Shot. Obviously, in the moment you dont expect anything of there was a huge bang. It. I thought a speaker burst or maybe she dropped it sounded like a gunshot. Her backstage. We were m obviously, you dont expect akit anything of it. Not thinking anything of it. It wasnt until maybe she dropped the mic mome everyone started screaming, running. Backstage. E. We were on the upper tier. We could see the whole we were making a joke of it. Ar. It wasnt until moments after we saw everyone running towards the exit where we were. Everyone started screaming, we it took us a while to get down were on the upper tier. Thats when we got out into we could see the whole arena. T ar and we saw everyone running towards the exit where we were. It took us a while to get down. Thats when we got out into the arena lobby. We saw everyone screaming and crying. Crying. It was horrific. Did you get anyone near, do you think, where the bomb it was horrific. C. Actually was did you get near, do you de . Im pretty sure the bomb was think, where the bomb was detonated, like, on the detonated . Bottom floor. Im sure the bomb was detonated obviously, towards the on the bottom floor, obviously. It wasnt inside whe towards the back. Re we were. It was in the lobby or it wasnt inside where we were. Where all the ts it was in the lobby, in the hir are. Outside, where the tshirt i know a friend that was at there at the same time. Stands are. She said when she h off, she f but i know a friend that was ou. There at the same time. We were obviously on the upper tier, and she said when she heard it. We werent as clos to off, she felt the vibrations. She said she heard it so clearly and so loudly. We were on the upper tier, so, that was we didnt. Where we werent as close. She heard it so clearly and so loudly. One scattered a thats where everyone scattered as soon as it happened. Ened. Zach, did you see the injured . There was the explosion, but al did you see the injured . We understand it, there was the explosion. So this chaos and thi stampede that happened but also, a chaos and a stampede that happened afterwards. Yeah. It was crazy. Yeah. We got it was crazy. We got out, went to the lobby o was, where the exit was. S. Going. There wa and there were people with s pe. Bandages. It was blood splatter there was blood everywhere. Ever. We didnt know what happened. T what had happ we heard bomb a few times. Ened. Exp and everybody was panicking. Los few times. Thats we saw people all down the hen panicking. Still for certain nothing was street with blankets, getting confirmed until we got out of the arena and we saw people help. Down the street with blankets, getting help, people screaming, little kids little kids crying. Crying. It was crazy. We had no idea what actually happened. Ea what had actually happened. There was a we heard a loud bang. We didnt know what it was. Zach, youre a young guy. W w you are a young guy. You have been l youve been living in the u. K. Under a heightened under a heightened state of alarm for security. State does this now change things for yu . Alarm or does this change the way you. View your surroundings . Does thi you . Does this change the way does it change the way youre vi going to go about living your e . Does it change life . The way you are going to go about living i think it will change the way for everyone there last life . I think it will change the way for everyone. Because you dont expect it. Night. There was you dont expect it, you know. There was security on the way in. Everyones bags were being checked. My friend had a backpack, she n chekd. Was being checked. On the way out, they opened the on the way out, they open the doors for anyone. They know there are thousands of people meeting friends, kids, door for anyone. E. Boyfriends, g them to go home. Theres no security there was thousands of people to meet their friends, kids and people to go home. The way the terrorists could have easily home. Gone in towards the end of the c concert. Have gone in towards the end of the concert and then that would have been when it all happened. That would be when it happens. In it has changed my perspective in terms o terms of safetiness. F safety. Obviously, but you never know. Obviously. Zach, thank you for taking the time to you never know. Talk to us. Were happy you are okay. Thank you. Thank you. You never know anyway. Zach, thank you for taking the time to talk us to today. Were happy youre okay. The president , of course, is condemning this attack. Thank you. He is in thank you. Israe the president , of course, is condemning this attack. Ind it, quote, evil losers. He is in israel. Nbcs Kristin Welker is in he called whoever was behind it, quote, evil losers. Kristen welker has that part ofy the story for us this morning from jerusalem. Good morning. Reporter good morning to rym you. Orning from jerusalem. Good morning. Reporter good morning to President Trump spoke with the you. British Prime Minister theresa british Prime Minister theresa may earlier today may earlier today and offered condolences and support in the r wake of that attack. Con toll le condolences in the wake f of he started his day with talking. He started his day with with the leader of the talking with the palestinian authority. Palestinian authority. It started with a strong rebuke of terror. It started the horror that unfolded in manchester, as the president met of terrorleader of the e the horror that unfolded in Manchester Palestinian authority, mahmoud abbas, in bethlehem todays the e offering prayers and nt met with the leader of the pale condolences. Stinian authority, d we stand in solidarity with abbas the people of the united today. Offering prayers and kingdom. Condolences. So many young, beautiful peopled enjoying their lives, murdered n by evil losers in life. Reporter the president condemning the attackers in hist strongest terms. Y with the people of the united king m i wont call them monsters because they would like that ea, enjoying their lives, murdered term. In life. Reporter the president condemning the they would think thats a great name. Strogest te strongest terms. I wont call them monster i will all them, from now on, because they would like that term. They would think thats a great name. Losers, because thats what they i will all them, are. From now on, lo theyre losers. Sers, because thy are. Theyre and well have more of them. Lo. And we but theyre losers. Ll have more. But theyre just remember that. Losers. Just remember that. Reporter m reporter mr. Trump tying the attack to the major theme of hie attack to the major theme of his trip and trip and presidency. Presidency. United the civilized uniting the civilized world to combat terrorists. The terrorists and extremists and those that give them aid an combat terrorists. T comfort must be driven out of hs society forever. And those that give them aid and comfort must be driven out of so reporter as he aimed to restart peace talks between ety. Israelis and palestinians, reporter as he aimed to mr. Trump insisting that true e israelis and peace starts in the middle east echoing his call to action whil mr. Trump insisting that true peace starts in speaking in jerusalem. The midd i repeat again that we must. I think if israel and drive out the terrorists and t palestinians can make peace, extremists from our midst. It will begin a process of obliterate this evil ideology all throughout the middle east. And t and protect and defend our hat g citizens and people of the world. Reporter the president solemn as he visited the world. Reporter the president solemn as h holocaust museum. E visited the his daughter, ivanka, tweeting holocaust museum. His daughter, ivanka about the attack. Tweeting about t writing, we stand united with h. Our friends in the u. K. , with writing, we stand united with our friends in the president heads to rome tonight. Our hearts going out to the chrkristin welk victims of this ateacherocious violence. The president heads to rome tonight. How is the attack in Great Britain going to Impact Security here at home . . Impact security h . Pete williams is our security and justice correspondent. Nbcs correspondent. Good morning to you. Reporter good morning to good morning to you. Good you. Morning. In the u. S. The department of Homeland Security is so far not urging police to take any in the u. S. , department of specific action because there are no known threats here Homeland Security is not urging police to take specific action because theres no known threats here at home. Nonetheless, police in new york, as they often do, strictly as a as they often do, as a precaution, sent extra teams to pr Yankee Stadium, where a baseball game was under way, as word of the attack began to spread. Wor the attack began to spread. Extra police, too, in times square and at train stations. Today, police there say they will be doing extra police, too, in times square and at train stations. Rb and there today, police will be at subway and train doing random bag checks at sesd deploying bomb sniffing dogs. The governor directed more security patrols at airports and bridges and subway and train stations. Tunne. Police in deploying drugsniffing dogs at airports. The governor of new york, mario cuomo, has directed more security at airports, bridges and tunnels, as well. And police in boston will step up their presence at concert nuh u. S. Officials say there is no venues at that city. Y. Evidence in u. S. Officials say theres no vr evidence of threats involving other public Gathering Place concert venues or other public n the u. S. Gathering places in the u. S. , but they say many cities may but they say many cities may nonetheles nonetheless choose to deploy extra security at Public Places and and events. As we so often do after these attacks, police events. And Homeland Security are stressing the importance of as we so often do after these attacks, public vigilance. If you see something, Say Something. Police and Homeland Security are pete, t stressing the importance of vigilance. Hank you very much. Turn to michael lighter, if you see something, Say Something. Pete a matt and save . Al security analy form thank you very much. Lets turn to the former director of the u. S. Counterterrorism center. Michael, good morning. Good to see you. These are the early hours of thr investigation. N. Center. These are the early hours of the investigation. But the fact it appears to be a explosive, that alone suggests a explosive, that alone suggests a level level of sophistication. Of sopd and i presume raises the possibility there was help here. I think thats right, sibili there was help here. I think thats right. We dont know exactly savannah. How powerful the explosive we dont know exactly how powerful the explosive was. Was. But is 22, so many injured, thaf increases the effects of it. Any injured, it was in a closed but this suggests someone with space, that increases the effects of it. An understanding. This does the fact today, you dont need to go to a place like syria tog an understanding. Get that understanding. Syria to get you can get it on the internet. That makes the attacks so tough. Thats what makes the attacks so tough to stop. What strikes so many people to stop. Is the simplicity of th. I think what strikes so many you didnt have is the simplicity of this. To suicide bomber you didnt have to this dide suicide bomber did not challenge security at a venue. Securi we think, how tough is it to get thats what we think about. How tough is it to get in to one of in to one of these arenas. Thes. This person didnt even he stood outside of a perimeter with that. He stood outside a perimeter near a near a hub of transportation and just w waited for the guests to pour a pour out of the building. As your previous guest said, as people were exexiting, there they were. We saw it in the airport attack in turkey. We saw it in the out of the building. Airport at as people were exiting, there they were. In brussels. The attackers know where the peri this is a trend we see more and. Go outside that where you have a crowd and thats where you more. We saw it in the airport attack in turkey. We saw it in the attack in a brussels. Morning that theres been one arrest, they know where the sturdy pre. What are investigators doing at perimeter is. Thats wher